The Hearts of Man: Chapter 6 -Eclipse-

Chapter 6: Eclipse

 

>Luna's eyes locked onto you as you scrambled up from where you were laying.

>She began to approach you.

>You stepped back, unsure of the situation.

>"Strange. You know our name?"

"..Yes."

>"How? We have never met this one before."

>She kept an air of purpose. Of royalty.

>But you could see that she was genuinely curious.

"I... I don't really know how. I just do."

>Luna slowly begins to circle you, not as a predator, but as someone inspecting a curious trinket they've never encountered before.

>Her gaze seems to pierce you, and you feel exposed under her teal eyes.

>"We think you are lying," she says as she finishes circling you, now facing you head on.

>You're dumbstruck for a moment, but you shake it off. Of course she doubts you, you knew her name right away and the two of you had never met.

>Still, lying to royalty, especially Princess Luna, didn't seem like the smartest idea.

"I'm not lying."

>Luna gives a snide chuckle.

>"Why should we believe you? This one is human. It is all your kind does."

"What?"

>"You lie. You steal. You betray the ones closest to you for your own selfish gain. Do not try to fool us with your songs of love and stars."

>Luna turns from you, her back facing you.

"That's not- I'm not trying to-"

>Your temper is beginning to rise.

"I'm not trying to trick you! I'm telling you the truth. You don't even know me!"

>Luna circles and comes within inches from your face.

>Those teal eyes seem to look into your very soul.

>"Yet this one knows US."

>You don't say a word.

>You just stare back into Luna's eyes, your gaze as stern and determined as hers.

>You're bent on showing this alicorn that you're honest, by any means.

"You're right. I do know you. I know more than anyp0ny down on the rock in the distance should know about their princess of the night."

>Luna chuckles again.

>"Do you now?"

 

-------

 

>You calmly take a step from her, and turn to look up at the void above you.

>Taking a deep breath in the vacuum of space, you turn to look at the royal alicorn.

"You spent how long up here? One thousand years? I bet that must have been something."

>Luna keeps her eyes on you, her demeanor unflinching.

"To be alone for a millennium. I've only been here for about two weeks. I don't know what it feels like to go through the isolation you experienced."

>At this Luna smiles a bit.

>"No, you do not."

"I suppose not. Tell me, how long did it take?"

>"How long did it take for what?"

"How long did it take for you to break?"

>Luna pauses. Her stare has changed, now looking more stern and angry, but still trying to retain a regal calm.

>"We did not "break" as you so crudely put it."

>Now you're the one to give a scoff.

"Oh? You never broke? Not once?"

>She says nothing, but her stare hardens.

"See, now I think that YOU are the one who's lying to me, Princess Luna."

>Your confidence slowly grows as you begin your assault.

"You're strong willed and full of pride, that's easy to see. But I bet that sooner or later, all of this," you spread your arms to indicate the vast void around you, "Eventually drove you mad."

>Luna now looked at you without her prideful regal gaze.

>This new look was one of anger.

 

-------

 

"All you wanted was for those ponies down there to love your beautiful night as much as you did. As much as they did your sister's daylight."

>You begin to approach Luna, taking each step with meaning.

"But all they did was sleep and dream of sunny days, and never once took the time to bask in your night."

>"Stop."

>Luna says this with anger in her eyes.

>You don't stop.

>You've only begun.

>The anger and confusion that you've felt since being banished laces each of your words, making sure they make impact.

"And then you tried to make a stand. You wanted your people to experience what you felt. All you wanted was for them to be as happy as they were in the day, but in your night."

"And she banished you. Your own sister sent you here, to wallow in what you cherished so very much."

>"We told you to stop."

>Luna begins to inch back slowly as you continue to advance.

"Then you came back as Nightmare Moon, and eventually you were allowed to be free of this place. Well guess what? Your precious sister did the same to me! She left me here to ROT. And for what?"

>Luna's anger has mixed with looks of distant sadness, and she does not say a word.

>And now you blow up.

"AND FOR WHAT?"

>Luna stamps a hoof to the moon's floor in defiance.

>"I SAID STOP."

>Luna rushes towards you, back to being only inches from your face.

>Your eyes and hers lock and a battle of wills begins.

>"You are a human! Your kind has done nothing, NOTHING, but harm us! I have lived for more than a millennium, one of which was spent on a rock floating in an endless void! I know what your 'people' are capable of. If Celestia banished you, she did so for the right reasons!"

 

-------

 

>You start to laugh.

>It's quiet at first, but it grows.

"The right reasons? I did nothing. I did NOTHING wrong, and your sister banished me here without so much as an explanation."

>"No explanation is needed. You are human, your kind al-"

"I AM NOT THEM."

>You yell into the Princess' face, and she jumps back in surprise.

"You say my kind hurts yours, that we lie and steal and cheat. I am not my people. I am ME."

"I woke up in your world and wandered the forest for weeks until I found Ponyville. And yeah, I stole. I stole food because I hadn't eaten in all that time. And you know what?"

>Luna shakes her head, looking at you in confusion.

"I was SORRY. I made up for what I did! I was forgiven by the one I wronged."

"What did my 'people' do to yours, that you so easily scoff at my sight? What did they do?!

>"They hunted us."

>You stop your approach, and look at Luna.

>There are signs of tears in her eyes, but she hides them well.

>"Your kind hunted mine because they wanted what only we possessed."

>She looks up to you, and you see yourself reflected in those teal eyes.

>You bring your eyes upwards, to her horn.

"They wanted your magic."

>Luna nods, as a pause of understanding greets the both of you.

>You walk up to her side, and sit down next to her, her mane flowing behind you and onto your back.

>The two of you sit there for a while, looking up into space, at each of the stars' light that meets your eyes.

>Luna is the one to break the silence.

>"..Tell us about yourself."

>You give a dry laugh.

"You don't know me, your highness."

>"No... but We'd like to."

>The two of you look at each other, smile, then gaze back up at the void that Luna cherished so much.